Objectives: This study compares the labeling information on the sizes of interdental brushes marketed in Korea to their actual sizes. Moreover, it analyzes the relationship between the size of the passage hole diameter (PHD), brush diameter, stem diameter, and stem length. Methods: Among the commercially available interdental brushes in Korea, 171 interdental brushes, 3 in each size, were collected from 9 companies. The labels of the collected interdental brushes were researched, and the PHD was measured and compared. The correlation between the passage hole diameter, brush diameter, stem diameter, and stem length was analyzed. Multiple regression analysis was performed to verify the effect of brush diameter, stem diameter, and stem length on the determination of the PHD. Results: The sizes of the interdental brushes were expressed using the ISO labeling or the Small, Medium, Large (S, M, L) labeling and indicated in units of 0.1. The concordance rate of the measured PHD and named PHD was 39.7%. The measured brush diameter, stem diameter, and stem length increased as the interdental brush size increased. There was a significant correlation (P<0.01) between PHD, brush diameter, stem diameter, and stem length. The order of variables with the most to least significant influence on PHD was stem diameter (β=0.528), brush diameter (β=0.404), and stem length (β=0.074). Conclusions This study shows that the label and actual size of interdental brushes did not match, and the concordance rate between the measured and labeled PHDs was low. Therefore, the interdental brush size labels among manufacturers should be standardized. Moreover, these manufacturers must provide the correct size information for the interdental brushes.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular risk remains increased despite optimal low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level induced by intensive statin therapy. Therefore, recent guidelines recommend non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) as a secondary target for preventing cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of omega-3 fatty acids (OM3-FAs) in combination with atorvastatin compared to atorvastatin alone in patients with mixed dyslipidemia. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, and phase III multicenter study included adults with fasting triglyceride (TG) levels ≥200 and <500 mg/dL and LDL-C levels <110 mg/dL. Eligible subjects were randomized to ATOMEGA (OM3-FAs 4,000 mg plus atorvastatin calcium 20 mg) or atorvastatin 20 mg plus placebo groups. The primary efficacy endpoints were the percent changes in TG and non-HDL-C levels from baseline at the end of treatment. RESULTS: After 8 weeks of treatment, the percent changes from baseline in TG (−29.8% vs. 3.6%, P<0.001) and non-HDL-C (−10.1% vs. 4.9%, P<0.001) levels were significantly greater in the ATOMEGA group (n=97) than in the atorvastatin group (n=103). Moreover, the proportion of total subjects reaching TG target of <200 mg/dL in the ATOMEGA group was significantly higher than that in the atorvastatin group (62.9% vs. 22.3%, P<0.001). The incidence of adverse events did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION The addition of OM3-FAs to atorvastatin improved TG and non-HDL-C levels to a significant extent compared to atorvastatin alone in subjects with residual hypertriglyceridemia.

A Dieulafoy lesion is a relatively rare, but potentially life threatening cause of gastrointestinal bleeding, which accounts for only 1~2% of acute cases. The most common site is the stomach and most extragastric lesions are frequently found in the duodenum followed by the esophagus, the colon, and rectum. However, jejunum and ileum are extremely rare. I report on a case of a 38-year-old female who underwent laparoscopic resection of a bleeding Dieulafoy's lesion in the jejunum following intraoperative endoscopy.
Adult ; Colon ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy* ; Esophagus ; Female ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Ileum ; Jejunum* ; Rectum ; Stomach

Eight isoflavonoid compounds were isolated from the EtOAc fraction of Maackia amurensis which had shown the highest anti-Helicobacter pylori activity among the fractions, using medium pressure liquid chromatography and recrystallization. Based on the spectroscopic data including 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, HMBC and MS data, the chemical structures of the isolates were determined to be (-)-medicarpin (1), afromosin (2), formononetin (3), tectorigenin (4), prunetin (5), wistin (6), tectoridin (7) and ononin (8). Anti-H. pylori activity of each compound was evaluated with broth dilution assay. As a result, (-)-medicarpin (1), tectorigenin (4) and wistin (6) showed anti-H. pylori activity. (-)-Medicarpin (1) exhibited the most potent growth inhibitory activity against H. pylori with the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC)90 of 25 microM, and tectorigenin (4) with MIC90 of 100 microM ranked the second. This is the first study to show the anti-H. pylori activity of M. amurensis, and it is suggested that the stem bark of M. amurensis or the EtOAc fraction or the isolated compounds can be a new natural source for the treatment of H. pylori infection.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Maackia*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of range of liver enzymes according to age and BMI in each gender using large-scale data. METHODS: Data were gathered from 65,715 subjects who underwent a routine health check-up and did not have HBsAg and anti-HCV. Boxplot analysis was used to examine the distribution of range of liver enzymes according to age and BMI in each gender. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed for assessment of the association of liver enzymes with age and BMI, and to determine whether the range of liver enzymes was affected by risk factors for metabolic syndrome in each gender. RESULTS: ALT, AST, and GGT levels showed significant association with BMI in both male and female after adjusting for age. The range of ALT, AST, and GGT levels varied more widely according to the increase in BMI in males than in females, and this finding was more prominent in younger subjects than in older subjects. All risk factors for metabolic syndrome were shown to affect liver enzyme levels in male subjects. However, although most risk factors for metabolic syndrome affected liver enzyme levels, there might be weak or no effect of fasting hyperglycemia on AST, and low serum HDL-cholesterol level on GGT in female subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Age, BMI, and other risk factors for metabolic syndrome had a significant effect on the distribution of range of liver enzymes in each gender, even in this study conducted from Korean health checkup subjects.
Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Body Mass Index* ; Fasting ; Female ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Linear Models ; Liver* ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome X ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: To compare the QLF-D method and the ICDAS and DIAGNOdent techniques for in vitro quantification of occlusal caries and to assess the histological features of the caries. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-two extracted permanent teeth were selected, and the site of interest on the occlusal surface was examined using each detection method. The occlusal sites were classified according to the ICDAS II criteria based on the decision taken by two investigators, who have taken the ICDAS E-learning course. The examined site was then measured using the DIAGNOdent, and the peak value was recorded. In addition, by using the QLF-D, the occlusal site was photographed to obtain the DeltaFmax value. After all assessments were performed, the occlusal sites were vertically sectioned in order to assess the histological features. This was considered the gold standard. The histological criteria were graded using a 4-point scale as follows: S=sound (n=21), E1=limited enamel caries (n=27), E2=caries extending to the dento-enamel junction (n=49), D=caries involving the dentine (n=25). RESULTS: An ICDAS code between 0 and 4 was assigned to all the occlusal sites, and this revealed the QLF-D value, which was between -95 to 0. The DIAGNOdent value was between 8 and 99. The correlation values of QLF-D, ICDAS, and DIAGNOdent with the histological features were 0.68, 0.58, and 0.46, respectively (P<0.01). A highly significant correlation was observed between QLF-D and the gold standard, which showed a moderate correlation and an acceptable correlation was observed with ICDAS (r=0.75, P<0.01). A statistically significant difference was observed in the average QLF-D values of each histological grade i.e., -28.5 (S), -53.7 (E1), -68.1 (E2), and -84.4 (D). CONCLUSIONS: The QLF-D showed a significant correlation with the ICDAS and histological features. Therefore, visual inspection with QLF-D would improve the detection accuracy and ensure early diagnosis of dental caries.
Dental Caries ; Dental Enamel ; Dentin ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Research Personnel ; Tooth

To overcome the difficulty of controlling stem cell fate and function in applications to regenerative medicine, a number of alternative approaches have been made. Recent reports demonstrate that a non-cellular niche modulating the biophysical microenvironment with chemical factors can support stem cell self-renewal. In our previous studies, early establishment was executed to optimize biophysical factors and it was subsequently found that the microgeometry of the extracellular matrix made huge differences in stem cell behavior and phenotype. We review here a three-dimensional, non-cellular niche designed to support stem cell self-renewal. The characteristics of stem cells under the designed system are further discussed.
Extracellular Matrix ; Phenotype ; Regenerative Medicine ; Stem Cells

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Intestinal metaplasia (IM) has been regarded as a premalignant condition. This study evaluated the role of the transforming factor CDX2 according to the severity and type of IM. METHODS: This analysis was performed on 383 subjects with IM in the antrum and/or body, with diagnoses that were categorized as controls, dysplasias, and gastric cancers. The IM grades were classified into four groups as negative, mild, moderate or severe using the updated Sydney scoring system. The IM subtypes were categorized as type I, type II, and type III using high iron diamine and alcian blue (pH 2.5) staining. The CDX2 expression in the IM foci was evaluated using immunohistochemistry in specimens from the antrum and/or body. RESULTS: CDX2 expression increased according to IM severity (p=0.001) but was not associated with the IM subtype (p=0.881) in the antrum specimens. Similarly, CDX2 expression increased according to the IM grade (p=0.001) but was not associated with the IM subtype (p=0.755) in the body specimens. CDX2 expression was also increased according to baseline disease in the antrum, especially dysplastic and GC group (p=0.003), but not in the body (p=0.582). However, status of Helicobacter pylori infection was not associated with CDX2 expression in the antrum (p=0.692) and body (p=0.271). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that CDX2 expression is associated with the IM grade regardless of the IM subtype and that it was more frequent in the dysplasia group. These results suggest that CDX2 expression might play an important role in the progression of IM in various environments that can affect neoplastic change.
Alcian Blue ; Helicobacter pylori ; Immunohistochemistry ; Iron ; Metaplasia ; Stomach Neoplasms

Scanning with whole-body 131I scintigraphy after surgery has been a valuable diagnostic modality in the surveillance of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Radioiodine uptake is rarely observed in non-lactating breast tissue, which mimics thyroid cancer metastasis. We now report a case of a 45-year-old female thyroid cancer patient who underwent radioiodine therapy, and in whom breast uptake of radioiodine was observed on a post-therapy whole body scan. Her serum prolactin level was elevated to 328 ng/mL at the time of the radioiodine uptake, and the hyperprolactinemia was induced by her antipsychotic medications. Six months after she discontinued that medication, her serum prolactin level was normalized to 12.6 ng/mL and breast uptake of iodine was no longer present in a follow-up whole body scan.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Breast ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperprolactinemia ; Iodine ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prolactin ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Whole Body Imaging

No abstract available.